(19)
(11) EP 0 417 941 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
06.11.1991 Bulletin 1991/45

(43) Date of publication A2:
20.03.1991 Bulletin 1991/12

(21) Application number: 90309497.7

(22) Date of filing: 30.08.1990
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: A61K 31/425, A61K 31/47
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 30.08.1989 JP 224165/89

(71) Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA HAYASHIBARA SEIBUTSU KAGAKU KENKYUJO
Okayama-shi Okayama (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Takeuchi, Makoto
    Okayama-shi, Okayama (JP)
  • Nakagawa, Yoshinori
    Souja-shi, Okayama (JP)
  • Kimoto, Tetsuo
    Okayama-shi, Okayama (JP)

(74) Representative: Pendlebury, Anthony et al
PAGE, WHITE & FARRER 54 Doughty Street
London WC1N 2LS
London WC1N 2LS (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
     
    Remarks:
    The title of the invention has been amended (Guidelines for Examination in the EPO, A-III, 7.3).
     


    (54) Use of a cyanine dye in an antitumor agent


    (57) This invention relates to an antitumor agent con­taining as the effective ingredient a cyanine dye, shown by the general formula:

    where X⁻ is a physiologically-acceptable anion; Z, a group of the formula

    R, an alkyl group having a carbon chain length of 1-5; and R′, either hydrogen atom or an alkoxy group. Oral and parenteral administration of the antitumor agent remarkably activates macrophages in vivo and enhances their functions to allow them to inhibit the growth and metastasis of tumors, as well as to accelerate their natural death through cicatrization.





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